


An Ear and a Shoulder

by JustSmileStuffHappens (ksz13)



Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2020 [10]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort, Crying, Death, Drinking & Talking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, Emotions, Feelings, Friendship, Gen, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Loss, Love, Men Crying, Minor Character Death, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Serious, Suicide, Survivor Guilt, Talking, Therapy, Touching, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:07:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28746684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksz13/pseuds/JustSmileStuffHappens
Summary: Eddie Diaz Week Round 2 Day 3 -Let go! + Angst
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789354
Kudos: 52





	An Ear and a Shoulder

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this isn't too confusing. I'm worried if I alter it too much it'll lose what little coherence it has. 
> 
> *Please proceed with caution y'all. *
> 
> Side note: not sure on the category

**_An Ear and a Shoulder_ **

  
  


"Alright. Let's go guys." Bobby said as they rolled up to the scene of an accident.

Buck and Eddie got sent up to the heavier portion with the jaws as another pair started on the other vehicle in the primary accident that caused the others.

Chim got in with a brace once they'd gotten the door open with Hen starting to speak with them as he adjusted it.

With that part done Eddie moved on to the next vehicle whose driver was yelling for help. Him and Buck got them to calm down as Buck pried open the door. 

"Good job brother." Buck said.

"What?" Eddie turned to him while carrying the jaws back.

"I said we did a good job Eddie." Buck nodded with a smile but a worried brow aimed at his friend.

"We're packing it in people. Wreckers and the police are on the way for their reports." Bobby said as they started to gather and put away their gear.

In the semi privacy of the back cab with the rest of the team having their headpieces on Buck nudged Eddie to take his off.

"You okay man?" Buck asked as Eddie looked back at him.

"Yeah. I'm good Buck." Eddie told him before putting his helmet back on his head, ending their conversation.

Buck stared for a good second before doing the same.

He'd have to trust Eddie on that. Buck did trust Eddie. But- what was that earlier though?

* * *

They had gotten a call about a lost sleepwalker. Their cell phone was last pinged near the outskirts of a cliff causing worry.

Everyone was harnessed up and ready to begin the search. A copter was on standby for extraction if they found him.

Two groups would take a section of the cliff and repel to look. 

Buck and Eddie were with some of the others while Bobby was looking over the second team.

Then began the descent as they searched for any sign of life like clothing, movement, or sounds.

They were half way down from the top when they reported back.

"Nothing yet Cap. But we're not at the bottom yet." Buck said.

"Alright. Same over here. There's the possibility that he's gone or dropped the phone." Bobby noted as they continued.

"I got some- false alarm. It's litter." Eddie said from besides him.

Buck laughed as Eddie shook his head a little embarrassed. 

They were almost three quarters of the way down when the next thing happened. 

"Eddie. Stop moving." Buck said.

"What?" 

He looked at Buck then up to where he was looking towards.

Their lines were snagged on a large rock they'd passed up.

"Can you guys try pulling Eddie up?" Buck asked them.

Eddie felt as his tether was being lifted but in the next second so was Buck's.

"Wait! Guys. I said Eddie first." Buck said quickly to the radio.

"Buck. What's happening?" Bobby asked, hearing the chatter.

"Stop pulling us up. Only Eddie. I repeat. Only Eddie. One at a time. Our lines are disturbing a boulder." Buck said hurriedly but as clearly as he could be.

"Guys? What's going on?" Eddie asked the crew up above.

"We 'are' only pulling Eddie's line up." A voice came through.

Shit. They were tangled or too close and pulling one was catching the other now.

"Stop! Now." In the next second Buck's command was followed.

"Boys. Talk to me." Bobby said.

"We're working on it Cap. We hit a snag. Literally." Buck said.

"It's too much weight on the rock." Eddie noted.

Buck nodded. "Could fall if we're not careful. Right into us. We'll either be-"

"Smacked on the way down or it'll cut or lines." Eddie finished.

In the next second Buck looked over at the drop below then gauging it before cutting his line. 

Eddie was too quick for him and grabbed a hold of his arm making Buck drop his blade and come face to face with an angry Eddie.

"No. The fall could kill you Buck."

He lands too close and a rock stabs him or breaks open his head. He gets to the water only to shatter something. Both options weren't ideal.

"I'll make it. I'm not planning on dying. You three can call in the helicopter to pick me up." 

"How are you so sure?" Eddie asked.

"I'm not. But I took gymnastics for a while. I think I can get enough distance. Trust me. I trust you." Buck told him.

Eddie took a breath and thought about the crappy situation they were caught in. "You're sure?"

"You just gotta let go. I'm gonna push off the cliff, on the upswing I'll say when I'm ready."

Eddie didn't like the idea but he'd seen Buck do plenty of little stunts now. He had to trust him. He did trust Buck.

"I'll see you up top or I'm coming down to get you." Eddie said.

"Okay." Buck nodded and pushed off for momentum.

In his next breath he told Eddie to do it but Eddie's heart still leapt into his throat at the sight of Buck steeling himself for the fall that he'd need to control.

His eyes didn't leave Buck's form as he focused on the water and moved to dive in rather than smack as any trained person would. He was under in seconds.

Eddie heard the echo of himself shouting Buck's name before he realized that he did it.

He called the top team to pull him up now but slowly and to get that helicopter over there now.

Buck would end up with some bruised ribs and some scrapes to his hands through his gloves from clawing his way up to the dry rocks after surfacing. 

"Don't do that again." Eddie said wrapping himself around Buck's blanketed shivering body.

"Not planning on it. Glad you're okay." Buck got past his teeth.

"What were you thinking?" Hen asked as they worked to treat his cuts and warm him up.

"That I needed to cut my line before he got a chance to. I knew I'd make it." Buck said.

"You did. But you very well might not have. Good to see you handle the situation but I can't say I'm happy on the actions that led to this outcome." Bobby said.

He had a look like he was holding back saying more of his brash it was but Buck was okay.

"Ok, are you done living out Point Break-?" Chimney joked.

"What's that?" Buck asked, earning scoffs and snorts.

"Another thing to watch while you're healing up." Eddie said.

"Sorry I messed up the search." Buck told them.

"You didn't." Chimney told him.

"Huh?"

"Maggie found the phone on their ascents. And the man is up north. Found at a diner." Hen explained as Buck looked better.

'So the job's done. We're heading back to the station. You're off the truck for now though. And I don't want to hear any argument." Bobby said.

"No argument. I think I'll take the break for now." He repeated Bobby's words in agreement.

* * *

  
  


Buck was off for a few days until either he got a physician's ok or his injuries were healed enough, whichever came first.

In that time Buck would spend more time over at Eddie's. 

Christopher had destroyed Buck in racing and was now asleep.

Buck was relaxing with Eddie having a beer.

"Eddie."

"Buck?" He looked up at him from the bottle in his hand.

"Your hand man."

Eddie looked at his other hand to notice he'd been squeezing the bottle cap tightly in his palm. 

He'd been distracted from it. They were just talking about the movie and Christopher's project that he was excited for.

"What is it? You can tell me anything man." Buck asked.

Eddie worked the bottle back and forth in his hands before taking a swing to buy time.

Buck looked hopeful, was quiet and patient while leaning in a little from where he was sat.

"One of my old army buddies died." Eddie said, barely above a whisper in his own house.

"Oh." It didn't even pass Buck's lips to make a sound.

They stayed there in silence.

Eddie heard Buck swallow to clear his throat before talking.

"Do you- wanna- I mean. You don't have to. I know you've got Frank but- that's why you had that look on your face at the start of the week at that accident?"

Eddie nodded not saying yes.

"Yes that was about this? Or yes you wanna talk?" Buck sounded like he was trying his hardest not to come off as intrusive.

"Both." Eddie sighed.

It went quiet again as Buck withheld saying anything else.

The sounds of the house and outside were all they heard.

"He uh- his name was Rodney."

"He was on your team, for that mission?" Buck asked. 

He didn't remember that name from when Eddie told him the story to be ready to tell Chris's class a kid friendly version.

"No. He was assigned to our group for a bit but we hit it off and kept in touch for a while after he got transferred out."

Buck nodded and made a small grunt of agreement.

"I got a call earlier in the week about it. He killed himself."

Buck felt the breath punched out of him at that. "Eddie."

"They had two girls, twins."

"I'm sorr- that's-. I don't even know if that's enough," Buck closed his eyes and felt his shoulders sag. The thought of it was- 

He didn't even know that the guy existed a few seconds ago but he could still feel something for the man and his family. He was a person, one that Eddie knew and had trusted with his life before.

"It's been on your mind all week? You should talk to Frank about it. I'm- I'm always here Eddie. I'll always listen and try to give you my best advice if I can but- he's better than me at this." Buck reached over to slowly and gently squeeze Eddie's arm.

"I'm not scheduled with him for another week and a half." Eddie said, running a hand over his face in frustration, exhaustion, both.

"Call him. It's important. He might- If he can't then maybe he knows someone else who he can recommend sooner." 

Buck scooted his chair over the little bit that was between them. The sound would wake the dead but Christopher was a heavy sleeper so they were fine.

"I'll call him in the morning." Eddie sighed and covered his eyes as he felt tears form.

For the first time in the past week Eddie let himself feel sad about the news, he cried.

Buck was silent besides him as his hand was on Eddie's back.

"He was always cracking jokes. You'd never-" Eddie cleared his throat and stopped there.

"Some of us learn to hide stuff pretty well." Buck said, sounding wiser than him ever appeared.

Eddie made a noise that could be understood in a couple of ways but Buck heard it loud and clear though.

They both knew it.

Buck reminded Eddie of Rodney a little. And he saw some of himself in Rodney too.

But they were different people.

"You've never- thought of stuff like- felt like that?" Buck asked without actually saying it.

"No. No, I haven't." Eddie shook his head and looked forward.

Eddie reached out to hold Buck's arm similarly to how he'd just done for Eddie moments ago.

"Thanks Buck."

"Anytime Eddie. Anything." Turned to look Eddie in the eye for emphasis and nodded. "Thanks for opening up. I know it can be a pretty hard thing to do."

They'd sit there for another few minutes before cleaning up the kitchen and going to bed.

Buck stayed over that night both from the drinks and for them to know that the other was nearby.

It was comforting after the emotional toll of the exchange.

Eddie would call in the morning to find out what options there were while Buck would make breakfast for the three of them.

Eddie was grateful to have Buck as a friend. Buck was glad to finally know what was troubling his friend.

The next part might not be easy but he wouldn't quit. He also knew that he had help he could rely on if he needed it.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried writing this respectful of the topic and material but I'm still scared it's not good enough like I don't know this stuff and I'm sorry


End file.
